Cali woke up and said she felt much better. She took a long time to pick out the perfect playdate outfit. Madi and I walked her to the playdate rendezvous, not far from our house. We walked back with them so I could see where the house was. The mom was right, we would have never found it on our own. Madi and I made mental notes of how to get back there. We joked about how directions using stray dogs as landmarks wouldn’t be smart, such as, “turn right at the sleeping German Shepherd, go until you see small white matted dog, turn left.” We found more permanent landmarks instead. We are clever.
Found a cluster of about 50 bites on my hip where my belt goes. Have no idea what kind of bug made those. Seems we spend a good bit of time looking at bites on each other wondering what bit us, or as we like to call it, “Name that bug bite.” Is there not some kind of reference book that can give us answers? Actually, I’m sure it’s better that we just don’t know.
We walked across our tuk bridge. Have to look where you step.
After we dropped off Cali, we walked up to the market. Love market day. Madi had to see if there was another huge cow liver for sale, there was. We already have a few favorite vendors who give us fair prices. Today I realized that Madi eats the heaviest veggies in existence like cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, limes, apples. The snow peas were the only exceptions, and the bananas fit more in the medium heavy category.
My favorite part about market is watching strangers eat shoulder to shoulder at one table, family style. It’s very popular here, especially on the streets later at night when the vendors close. Little tables will be set up, people join a table, the woman serves out different kinds of homemade food, people eat together, talk together, a unique community builder.
Our market haul.
With our huge bag of veggies, we ran some errands. We went to get a little garbage can for Madi’s desk that she has wanted. Then I returned one of my books, got two new ones for the week. We checked to see if they got more pretzels in at Sandras, but they haven’t yet. We walked down Santander and got breakfast. Madi decided to try the rice and liked it (but later broke out in that same mystery rash she has been getting). I had my yummy tipico breakfast. We stopped at PanaSuper and met the current owners. She was very kind, gave Madi a free chocolate. We ended up talking with two women there about different kind of bug bites and how they look on the skin. Honestly I can’t remember how we got on that subject, but those two women would kick butt at the Name that Bug Bite game. They were telling us about different kinds of spiders, how the ones that are less flat are the ones that bite, about one that is slighty green and transparent that leaves a good welt. How spider bites often are two little red marks close together. I was tempted to show the women my impressive cluster of 50 small bites, but thought that would just be bragging.
At home we only had time to disinfect our produce and it was time to pick up Cali at the play date rendezvous. Cali’s friend’s mom was there, the girls had a great time, and Cali is the new owner of colorful, translucent balls in water, that she thinks are alive. They expand somehow. I still can’t figure out what they are, but she was so extremely pleased. We walked home and put them in a container Madi had bought for her at the dollar store (equivalent). Cali decided to bring the smallest clearest one to church.
Church is an interesting place to meet people. The service is informal in certain ways. There is always a time built into the message where you are encouraged to discuss a question posed, with someone you don’t know. I spoke with a man who used to be a computer programmer in California, and is now here trying to revitalize Lake Atitlan. Another woman also introduced herself to me. She has been her for two weeks and told me the story of what brought her here. The stories are varied and always fascinating! After that I spoke with Cali’s friends’ dad for sometime. He was talking about kids who have parents from different cultures. I found it an interesting conversation since I am one of those kids, he found it an interesting subject because he has one of those kids.
After church we went for ice cream, went home and had supper. Madi still had a fair bit of homework to do and Cali was very tired. It was a long day for her.
Cali came home with what her friends call fishes. They are little gooey colored balls, but they are all convinced they are alive. She was so excited to finally have them.
Cali’s blog: Today I had lots and lots and lots and lots of fun, because I was feeling better. This morning when I got up I got ready to go to my friend’s house. I wore a cute outfit because I knew she would be wearing one, too. We walked two blocks up the street to meet her and her nanny that she has had since birth. They were just coming out of the store. We walked with them to see where her house was. It was complicated, down lots of little dirt roads, past chickens, past dogs, past streams. Once we got there, mom and Madi said goodbye and my friend and I played Barbie. Then we played monsters instead of vampires of lava monsters. Then we had lunch. For lunch we had chicken, rice, and guacamole salad. I could only eat the chicken, a bit of the salad and a bit of the rice. My tummy was too small from being sick. After lunch we played house and then my friend’s mom came home from work. Then we played a bit more. We did this, I made a rooster sound and she made a roar. Then we made a cockle-doodle-rarrrr. That’s the sound of the monster grabbing the chicken. My friend thought that was very funny. Then it was time to go home. She gave me a bunch of the fishes, I was so happy. I also found out that the guy who plays the drums at our church service is her dad. We then went to the church service and I said hello to her dad. I also had a cookie, but they weren’t as good this week as they were last week, so I didn’t need to have more than one. I played Galaga all through the church service. After the church service we went to Saritas and I got another scoop of Pistacio ice cream in a cone. Then when we got home we had fish and french fries. I still can’t eat very much because my stomach isn’t normal yet. I’m very tired and need to go to bed. P.S. Love you all, especially my best friend back home whose name starts with an N. You know who you are. I really miss you a lot, my best friend.
Madi is doing her homework and can’t blog tonight.